“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” – Sean Patrick Flannery

From the first time my parents signed me up to play youth soccer at Newhall Park when I was 6 years old, to now participating in Adult Leagues and cheering on my children as they play their favorite sports, staying active has always been an important part of my lifestyle. Living in Santa Clarita gives you a myriad of options to stay both mentally and physically fit. Whether you like to explore nature, visit one of our facilities to enjoy a game or just try something new, our city offers so much for residents.

This season, we are happy to bring back the popular Hiking Challenge to the community. Featuring the Rivendale Park and Open Space at Towlsey Canyon, we invite residents and hikers to complete all five trails by Dec. 31. This challenge is intended to get you out into our open spaces and enjoy the beautiful mountains that surround Santa Clarita. Designed with everyone in mind, trails offer varying difficulty, including ones that are easily walkable in addition to ones that will get your legs moving and your heart pumping. Nevertheless, get ready to check out breathtaking views of Santa Clarita as you reach lookout points located on top of the trails. Remember, when you’re out on the trails, always bring a friend and be sure to lock your car doors before heading out on your trek.

As a city, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our residents’ quality of life and one way we do that is through the upgrading and renovating of our parks. Last month, city staff converted the tennis courts at Bouquet Canyon Park into four new pickleball courts, for a total of eight courts on site. These additional courts will help alleviate congestion and allow for more friends, families and competitors to play! Just down the road, the City Council recently unveiled new additions and renovations as part of the Central Park Buildout Project. The buildout brings us four additional multipurpose fields, a new basketball court, a restroom building, upgrades to the dog park, more parking and a local favorite, the 172-step exercise staircase. We are so excited to see our community head to the park and stay active using these new amenities.

Across town, The Cube – Ice and Entertainment Center is in full swing for hockey season. Officially the home of the UCLA Men’s Hockey Team, be sure to come out to one of the 12 games offered this season. From the cross-town rival game with University of Southern California or playoffs, The Cube is the place to be for anything winter sports! Don’t forget to head out onto the ice for our public skating sessions, especially when the live Christmas Tree illuminates on the pond next month filling the air with the holiday scent of pine. While you’re there, enjoy some food at The Grille, stay warm with a cup of hot chocolate or grab a drink at the new Top Shelf with friends and family!

As we say goodbye to long summer days, I hope our community takes advantage of the cool weather and gets outside to enjoy the many different activities, classes and programs offered all year long. Whether you are racing your friends up the exercise staircase at Central Park, trying pickleball for the very first time at Bouquet Canyon Park or watching a UCLA game at The Cube, there’s always something to do around the city. To browse all of the new classes offered this season, be sure to visit SantaClarita.gov/Seasons and find your new hobby.

Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@santaclarita.gov.